Landscapes Newsletter, Fall 2008 ~ Peninsula Open Space Trust

8/9/2019 Landscapes Newsletter, Fall 2008 ~ Peninsula Open Space Trust

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LANDSCAPES

SAVING FARMLAND

PENINSULA OPEN SPACE TRUST FALL 2008


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Fresh, local food is making headlines, yet in

the United States cropland is at its lowest levels

since 1945. From the beginning, POST has worked

to protect local farmland and keep it under cultiva-

tion. In this issue, we talk with some of the San

Mateo County farmers who benefit from POSTs

effort to save agricultural land.

Farmland requires special care. While state,

county and local parks agencies like Midpeninsula

Regional Open Space District are appropriate stew-ards for open space terrain, the best long-term

owner for agricultural land is likely to be a farmer.

POST completes a number of steps to protect farm-

land: buying at-risk land when it comes up for sale,

leasing POST-owned land to farmers and protecting

farmland with conservation easements. Whenever

possible, POST works with tenant farmers to make it

easier for them to buy land outright and continue

farming, subject to the terms of an easement.

Bringing Down the Cost of Land

Typically, local farmers seeking to buy land

get priced out by our regions exorbitantly priced

real estate. But land protected by POST conservation

easements is by definition more affordable.

Easements are deed restrictions that provide

permanent protection of a propertys natural qualities,

such as scenic views, wildlife habitat and watersheds.

When selling land to a farmer, POST typically holds

back an easement limiting the lands developmentpotential, which in turn brings down the propertys

total value, making the land more affordable for the

farmer. Easements can also reduce property taxes,

providing significant savings for the farmer.

Easements are carefully crafted to suit the particular

conditions on a given property, safeguarding the

character of the land and offering long-term economic

incentives to keep the land under cultivation.

The mission of the Peninsula Open Space Trust

(POST) is to give permanent protection to the beauty,

character and diversity of the San Francisco Peninsula

and Santa Cruz Mountain range. POST encourages the

use of these lands for natural resource protection, wildlife

habitat, low-intensity public recreation and agriculture

for people here now and for future generations.

POST AND LA Natural Fit

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SANMATEO COUNTY

SANTACRUZ COUNTY

SANTACLA

RACOUNTY

SANT

ACRUZCO

UNTY

0 1 2 5 miles

POST-protectedAgricultural Land

Row Crop Land

Grazing Land

LEGEND*

*Property boundaries are shown though only portions of the land are cultivated or grazed.

Rancho Corralde Tierra

Madonna Creek Ranch

Johnston Ranch

Bluebrush Canyon

Lobitos Ridge

South Cowell

North Cowell

Purisima Farms

Toto Ranch

Mindego Hill

Driscoll Ranch

Arata Ranch Diamond HRanch

Redgate Ranch

Bolsa PointFarms

Peninsula Farms

Cloverdale Coastal Ranches

Blue House Farm

Pie Ranch

Green Oaks Ranch

101

92

92

35

35

84

84

1

1

1

84

280

S

AN

FR

AN

CIS

CO

B

AY

P A C I F I C

O C E A N

280

Half Moon Bay

Pescadero

101

Cabrillo Farms

FAST FACTSAgricultural land represents 20 percent

of the 60,000 acres POST has preserved

to date.

In the last 31 years POST has:

protected more than 1,800 acres of

productive cropland in San Mateo County,

or approximately 10 percent of the countys

agricultural land currently in production.

protected more than 8,300 acres of grazing

land, or 50 percent of the countys current

total.

At present POST:

leases 613 acres to nine farmers for row

crop agriculture and dry farming.

leases 2,330 acres to five cattle ranchers

for grazing.

POSTs partnership with local farmers doesnt

stop with leases, easements and land sales. POST staff

members also help farmers with grant writing, permit

applications, maintenance projects and water issues.

This investment of time and resources helps preserve

agriculture in our area and ensure sources of fresh

food close to home.

fall 2008 3

AL FOOD

Agriculture on POST-protected

Land in San Mateo County


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At Blue House Farm, four miles south of

Pescadero, farmers Ned Conwell and Ryan Casey

build links between people and their food one box

of produce at a time. On just three acres, these

intrepid farmers cultivate hundreds of pounds of

healthful, certified organic, sustainably produced

fruits, vegetables and flowers, enough to feed the

80 local families who have signed up as subscribers

to the farm.

Ned and Ryan have leased this land from

POST for three years. Their farm is located on

POSTs Cloverdale Coastal Ranches, now covering5,777 acres of open space, grazing and cropland.

They operate as a CSA, or Community Supported

Agriculture farm, which relies on members who pay

annual fees to generate income and cover expenses.

Each May, Blue House members begin

receiving a weekly box of fresh producelettuce,

chard, beets, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers,

pumpkins or whatever else reaches its peak of

perfection on delivery day. Except for the Early Girl

tomatoes, which are watered once at planting timeand dry farmed to a flavor-concentrated finish, the

farmers irrigate all their crops.

As CSA members, Blue House customers

enjoy fresh, high-quality produce and a direct rela-

tionship with the farmers. Members know exactly

where their food dollars go and can ask questions

about how their food is grown, visit the farm any-

time, or even throw on a pair of overalls to take part

in a workday. The farm offers tours to school and

other groups and, with three interns, is educatingthe next generation of organic farmers. At all times,

the farms growing methods are compatible with

the preservation of surrounding natural lands.

Besides their CSA, Ned and Ryan sell at the

farm stand at nearby Pie Ranch (see story page 6)

and to a handful of local markets. Both of us had

seen this model work elsewhere, so we made an

early decision to form a CSA rather than sell at

BLUE HOUSE FARM:

Success by CSA

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fall 2008 5

farmers markets, says Ned. We also share a similar

dream of combining farming with environmental

education.Not owning their land is both an advantage and a

risk, says Ned. Healthy soil is our most important

resource. Weve put a great deal of time, energy, money

and materials into building the soil at Blue House

Farm, he says. Weve planted cover crops, added

compost, selected the best times and methods for tilling,

rotated crops, tested the soil repeatedly. If we were to

leave, we couldnt take the soil with us. Its the soil that

ties us to the farm. Ownership is best, but working on

POST-protected land gives us more assurance of a long-term presence on the land.

WHAT IS A CSA?

Community Supported Agriculture is an arrang

ment between people eager to eat fresh, local food and

farmers needing a steady market. Members pay in

advance for a share of a farms bounty for one growin

season. Members also share the seasons risks, such as

poor weather or attacks by insects. The money upfront

enables the farmer to purchase seed, soil amendments

farm equipment and labor early in the year, long befor

anything is ready to harvest, and keeps the farmer out

of debt.

CSAs may give members more collard greens or

kohlrabi than they want at a given moment, but they

also offer tastes of new foods or new ways of preparin

old favorites. No matter whats in their weekly box, it

up to members to cook it themselves, which may be th

greatest benefit of all.

To learn more about Blue House Farm, go to

www.bluehousefarm.org. For more about CSAs, visit

www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csadef.shtml.

Above: Graffiti seems more flower than cauliflower.

The variety is one of three grown at Blue House Farm.

Right: Ned shows off the weeks box at POSTs office in

Palo Alto, one of the drop-off points for the CSA.

Ned Conwell and Ryan Casey of Blue House Farm are among the young,nnovative new farmers on the Coastside.

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Named for the shape of the property, Pie

Ranch between Pescadero and Davenport is a model

14-acre organic farm and educational center. This

small wedge supports thriving rows of raspberries,

blackberries, strawberries, apple trees, rhubarb,

pumpkins and wheatall delightful in pie. A large

flock of chickens and a committee of goats con-

tribute. Even the bees have jobs.

POST owns a second slice, a 13-acre parcel

of land known as Green Oaks Ranch adjacent to

Pie Ranch. The owners of Pie Ranchco-directors

Karen Heisler and Jered Lawson and ranch managerNancy Vailcurrently lease Green Oaks from POST

and have an option to purchase the land, subject to

a conservation easement.

Besides five acres of excellent cropland,

Green Oaks contains the historic Isaac Steele house,

a nationally registered landmark, as well as restor-

able barns and farm buildings. A roadside barn on

Highway 1 becomes a farm stand on summer week-

ends and hosts monthly barn dances open to the

public. The balance of the property is an importantriparian corridor, with potential to become a trail

along Green Oaks Creek, which begins in nearby

Big Basin Redwoods State Park and connects to the

Pacific Ocean.

This relationship is another example of how

important POST and other non-profits are in creating

a link between traditional and new coastal agricul-

ture, says POST President Audrey Rust. Our goal

is to keep the farmland at Green Oaks in production

while helping Pie Ranch in its effort to become thelong-term owner and prime mover in restoring this

historically significant ranch.

Let Them Eat Pie

Since its founding in 2002, Pie Ranch has been

deeply engaged in teaching future farmers and con-

sumers, especially inner-city high school students.

They come for day programs or overnight stays of

PIE RANCH:

Wants a Second Slice

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006JeredLawson


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ie Ranch family Jered Lawson, Nancy Vail and their children, Rosa and Lucas.

several days. Says Jered, Most urban kids believe milk

comes from a carton. Its an eye-opening experience for

them to milk a goat and drink the milk fresh from the

animal.

Our culture has lost the connection to the sourcesof our food, says Jered. We use the farm to educate

youth and adults about the progression from seed to

table. People who understand the process develop a

conscious capacity to make good choices.

In addition to its seasonal farm stand, Pie Ranch

works with Mission Pie, at 2901 Mission Street in San

Francisco, to sell pies, eggs and fresh, organic produce

from Pie Ranch and other local organic farms. The pie

shop is the farms urban link and offers employment

opportunities to students who have completed programsat Pie Ranch.

Pie Ranch succeeds on a scientifically controlled

rotation of crops, animals, harvests and cultivation prac-

tices. Every plant and animal is multitasking. Chickens

are enclosed in a portable solar electric fence. After the

goats have grazed tall edible plants, the chickens graze

on the stubble, removing insects and fertilizing as they

strut. A little red gypsy wagon contains nesting boxes

where part of the flock lays its eggs. From 320 hens, Pie

Ranch collects 100 dozen eggs per week to use, sell ordistribute through their Community Supported

Eggriculture program.

Even the monthly barn dances are multipurpose.

The public is invited to an afternoon work party and

potluck supper before the dancing. As they build up the

farm, Pie Ranch is building community.

For more information about Pie Ranch, go to

www.pieranch.org.

TO SAVOR THE FLAVOR,

EAT LOCALLY

Enjoy Greater Flavor and Nutrition. Wine may

improve with age, but fruit and vegetables lose taste

and nutrition soon after harvest.

Fight global warming. On average fresh foods trav

1,500 miles before reaching your kitchen. Buying loca

grown food helps you cut down on fuel consumption a

the resulting greenhouse gases.

Protect yourself from harmful chemicals. Small

farms tend to use fewer and less dangerous chemicals

than large corporate farms, especially when the farme

lives on the land.

Protect biodiversity. Local farms grow more than

one crop. Growing several crops and multiple varietiesprotects biodiversity, preserves a broader gene pool

among plants and prevents the soil from wearing out.

Boost the local economy. After paying for trans-

portation, processing, packaging, refrigeration and

marketing, farmers nationwide receive only 23 cents o

every dollar you spend on food. When you buy locally,

farmers earn a much greater share, and the money

stays in the community.

Keep development in check. Preserving farmland

prevents development from sprawling, thereby preservopen space and scenic vistas.

Sources: www.farmland.org, www.slowfoodusa.org, www.about.com

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8 landscapes

Twenty-five years ago, B.J. Burns was an established

Pescadero farmer, growing straw flowers, artichokes, fava

beans and pumpkins on a combination of owned and

leased land. Over the years, he witnessed the loss of large

farms and dairies and the family life they supported. He

experienced the disappearance of infrastructure for farm-

ing as well as changing markets. Seasonal labor, replace-ment parts, mechanics, even produce buyers moved to

the Central Valley, with the result that his most important

farm tool was the phone he used to round up services.

In 1983, land available for farming on the Coastside

was shrinking. As B.J. looked ahead, he imagined local

farming might shift indoors to greenhouses, where the

regions flower nurseries already flourished. His observa-

tion was prophetic. In recent years, low-cost foreign imports

have devastated the flower industry, so much so that grow-

ers are now beginning to think about planting vegetables ingreenhouses to extend the local growing season.

B.J., past president of the San Mateo County Farm

Bureau and now a director and treasurer, sees other

factors with impact on local agriculture. In the last two

years the cost of diesel, gas and fertilizer has gone way

up, he says. We have to look more carefully at local

markets. The county has helped promote the special

slogan, As Fresh As It Gets. This can help small

B.J. BURNS:Facing the Futuregrowers, but large growers must still ship out of the

area. They produce much more of a single product

than could be consumed here on a daily basis.

As a farmer, B.J. concentrates on crops he can sell

locallypumpkins, yarrow and oat hay. Though he has

used conventional farming methods for years, this season

he is growing pumpkins without pesticides on his ownland as well as on land leased from POST at Cloverdale

Coastal Ranches, just across the fence from Blue House

Farm. His pumpkins are sold to local stores and farm

stands, with the balance distributed in the Bay Area.

The oat hay is sold primarily to local horse owners. Only

yarrow, a fresh flower, goes to regional wholesalers for

national distribution.

B.J would like to see more farmland saved,

especially for food production. To save agricultural

land weve got to try farming in new ways. There isinterest here in olives for olive oil, blueberries and special

varieties of lemons, he says. I dont want to see us

become dependent on foreign imports for our food the

way we are for oil. The growth of farmers markets and

organic producers suggests that people are taking more

interest in where their food comes from. By adapting

to changes in the marketplace, he says, local farms can

have a new lease on life.

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Part of the Cruciferae family, Brussels

sprouts are related to cabbage, broccoli and

cauliflower. Known also as brassicas, they

are rich in vitamins A and C, folic acid

and fiber. While some people dislike

their aromatic intensity, others savortheir nutty sweetness, enjoying them

boiled, steamed or roasted.

Brussels sprouts were cultivated in

Europe as far back as the 14th century.

During the late 1500s, they became popular

in Belgium, hence the name. Thomas

Jefferson is said to have introduced them

to North America. They have been

harvested commercially in California since

the early 1900s.

Sprouts prefer the cool fog, ocean

breezes and well-drained soils of the coast.

The edible buds grow below a broad canopy

of large green leaves, maturing in clustersalong the stalk from the bottom up. A single

plant can produce 80 to 100 sprouts. At

harvest time, workers chop the stalks down

by hand with machetes. Lined up in

windrows, the cut stalks are fed through

a harvesting machine, which strips off the

sprouts. The veggies are then cleaned,

sorted and packed for distribution.

Brussels SproutsTHE RENAISSANCE CROP

The Sprout KingsOF SAN MATEO COUNTY

We saw Brussels sprouts on the menu at Lulus,said Dave, recalling

a meal he once shared with John and Joe in San Francisco.

We made a bet that if the sprouts came from one of our farms, the

other two guys would pay for dinner.We gave the waiter twenty

bucks to check the box in the kitchen. Sure enough,he laughs,

they were from Johns farm, south of Half Moon Bay.

fall 2008 9

Local farmers Joe Muzzi, John Giusti and Dave Lea are among the biggest producers of Brussels

sprouts in San Mateo County. Their family farms are all located on historic agricultural properties protected

by POST.

Remarkably, 99 percent of the sprouts consumed in the United States come from California, primarily

from San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties. Joe, John and Dave sell to local farmers markets as well as large

national grocery chains. Their sprouts, the largest crop in San Mateo County, end up at your neighborhood

grocer or favorite corner bistro and as far away as dinner tables in Boston and New York.


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10 landscapes

Under the names Peninsula Farms and Bolsa

Point Farms, Joe Muzzi and his sons John and Danny

farm 558 acres near Pigeon Point Lighthouse.

Joes family were tenant farmers on the coast for

50 years, growing crops that hadnt changed in

100 years. All that time, the Muzzis leased

farmland without any assurance their

place on the land was secure. But

that changed in 2007. Using funds

from its Saving the EndangeredCoast campaign, POST bought

both farms, then re-sold them to

the Muzzis while retaining con-

servation easements on the land.

Without POST and the

easements, we would not have

been able to afford to buy the land.

It probably would have been developed,

and a lot of my familys history on the land would have

been plowed under, says Joe.

Besides Brussels sprouts, the Muzzis also grow

leeks, fava beans and English peas. They process the veg-

etables on their Bolsa Point Farms in a large white

barn POST renovated in 2002 after a major

storm ripped off part of the roof.

In spite of rising costs and other

challenges, Joe is optimistic about

coastal agriculture. I think farm-ers will move toward growing

more specialty crops and selling

in local markets to make

ends meet. I know the idea of

buying local is gaining populari-

ty, and I hope people in Silicon

Valley will continue the trend by

buying from local growers.

Years ago people bought a lot more frozen Brussels sprouts. Today people are buying more fresh produce of all kinds, including

50 to 60 percent of the sprout crop, says Joe Muzzi.

Joe MuzziHISTORY IN HIS HANDS

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At Dave Leas Cabrillo Farms, just across

Highway 1 from the Half Moon Bay airport, Brusselssprout plants line a strip of fertile soil considered one of

the most productive agricultural tracts in California.

Wedged between the road and hillside, the strip is part

of POSTs 4,262-acre Rancho Corral de Tierra property.

Leas family has worked this land since the late

1960s, when his father, Ed, moved the family from a

farm near Pigeon Point. Three generations of Leas have

farmed on the San Mateo Coast since the 1920s.

From his pickup truck, Dave can point to any spot

on the 220 acres he leases from POST and tell you how

John Giusti grew up on the coast and followed

his father into farming. John grows Brussels sprouts fivemiles south of Half Moon Bay on 534-acre Purisima

Farms, which he bought from POST in 2006 after leasing

part of the land for six years. He also leases 121 acres of

POSTs Johnston Ranch in Half Moon Bay.

In 1992, Giustis late father, Aldo, purchased

POSTs North Cowell property, where he grew sprouts,

artichokes and English peas. Like Purisima Farms, the

597-acre North Cowell property, which is still owned by

the Giustis, is protected by trail and conservation ease-

ments owned by POST as well as the California Coastal

Conservancy.

Brussels sprouts

make up about

75 percent of Johns

overall business.

My kids dont eat

them, but I like em,

he says. Picky palates

notwithstanding, John

hopes one day his

children, whom he

and his wife, Maureen,

are raising on the

farm, will carry on the

agricultural traditions

of the Coastside, like

their father and

grandfather before

them.

John Giusti grows

artichokes as well as

Brussels sprouts.

John GiustiCREATING THE FAMILY FARM

Dave LeaA LIFE ON THE LAND


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12 landscapes

likely it is for sprouts to flourish. The harvest peaksfrom October to December, about the same time his

pumpkins appear at local roadside stands and at farmers

markets in Palo Alto and Walnut Creek. He also grows

artichokes, fava beans, peas and leeks. Each crop has

multiple methods of distribution: buyers who come to

the farm, as well as deliveries he makes to produce

terminals, brokers, packers and restaurants.

Without his lease arrangement with POST, Dave

says, it would be difficult for his family to continue to

work the land. There are a lot of factors working againstus. Our produce has to be perfect or our customers and

produce buyers will reject it. We have to cope with

weather, pests and disease. And were always compet-

ing with foreign imports. But being able to farm here

means we can keep up the family business, he says.

Back at the processing barn, about a dozen work-

ers sort the days harvest. Tightly clustered green globes

come tumbling down the conveyor belt like alien ping

For Dave Lea and his father, Ed, there is nothing better than the thrill of working outside on a crisp, clear day surrounded by

beautiful scenery.

pong balls. A bruise here or a brown patch there, andthe offending veggie gets tossed into a box on the

ground, destined for cattle feed. The ones that pass

muster get sorted into two batches. Larger sprouts for

local farmers markets and grocery stores go into waxed

boxes. Smaller sprouts get diverted onto a separate con-

veyor belt to be shipped to Watsonville. There they will

be distributed to Green Giant and Birds Eye, two of the

largest purveyors of frozen vegetables in the country.

Driving back towards Highway 1, Lea passes an

old horse stable that has seen better days. Thats wheremy father lived as a boy. It wasnt a stable back then. It

was a nice farm house, but that was a long time ago,

he says, eyes fixed on the road. With crops to harvest,

fields to irrigate, and shipments to distribute, theres not

much time for nostalgia. Like his friends Joe Muzzi and

John Giusti, hes too busy farming, and from the looks of

it, he wouldnt have it any other way.

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TributesApril 1 June 30, 2008

Gifts in Memory of

Your honorary and memorial gifts to POST create a

lasting tribute to friends and loved ones by helping to

protect the beauty, character and diversity of the San

Francisco Peninsula and Santa Cruz Mountain range.

If you would like to make a tribute gift, please call

Kathleen Ward, Associate Major Gifts Officer, at

(650)854-7696.

AnnaAnabelle AronClark BarrettWanda BartholowBurton BergmanBeryl A. BlakeleyPaul BonneyPatricia M. BrownDonald CarreRay CarterHewitt CraneDavid DanielsMorgan Decker-StoneHerbert DeStaeblerWalter D. GogginRichard HettelRalph HewittElliott HillbackJohn A. HooperDorothy Junge

John KeilMel LaneJean LauerScott McLeanHugh McMillanGeorge E. MerryweatherLeonard MichaelsElaine MillerJzef NowakDoug and Lorraine OrdahlThomas W. and Louise

PhinneyMayre RasmussenJud and Ruth ScholtzSkeeter, a wonderful catLynne TuiteSteve WarilaDar WeberNicolette WeickerWilliam H. Wickett, Jr.

Gifts in Honor of

George and BobbiAndreini

Morton BradskiJeff & Shinyung

EnderwickTerry HankoJohn A. HubertyRay JadwinEsther JokiDale W. KeedyMr. and Mrs. Neil

KeeganPeter and Sue

LaTourrette

Katie Leader

Tina LeeLinda MerryThe Meyer-Wakelee ClanLynn and David MitchellMother NatureCharles OsborneAudrey C. RustKim SchoknechtElizabeth SingletonPierre TardiffMichael ThometzEllen and Mike TurbowDick van GelderSusan and George Varian

Marilyn Walter

Jan Garrod

Joins POST

BoardJan Garrod, general

manager of Garrod Farms

and Cooper-Garrod Estate

Vineyards in Saratoga and

Bird Flat Ranch in Lassen County, is following the family

tradition by joining POSTs Board of Directors.

Jans father, Vince, was a member of the Board from

1983 until 2005, when he became an Advisory Council

member. Like his father, Jan is highly involved in regionalthinking about agriculture, serving currently as president of

the Santa Clara County Farm Bureau, founder and water

master for Mount Eden Mutual Water Company, member of

the agricultural advisory board of the Santa Clara Valley

Water District, and active with numerous equestrian and

vintners associations.

Jan brings an enormous measure of practical experience

to our Board of Directors, says POST President Audrey

Rust. He lives with issues facing all Santa Clara County

farmers, and as president of the Santa Clara County FarmBureau, he is in touch with these issues in a more formal

way. At home he has had to tailor his agricultural pursuits

to fit the needs of the highly urbanized culture surrounding

the family farm. It pleases me greatly to have another

visionary thinker from the Garrod family on our Board.

Garrod Farms, which once produced prunes and

apricots, now consists of 120 acresa portion dedicated to

horses and riding programs and a portion dedicated to wine

grapes. The equestrian facilities house 200 horses, some

boarded, others available as rentals for lessons or trail rides.Garrod Farms is also home to a world-class junior vaulting

program. The ranch in Lassen County grows hay for the

horses.

Under Jans watch, the winery has developed into a

major destination along the Santa Cruz Mountain wine road,

producing chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet

franc. Meanwhile Jan keeps an eye on the future to be pre-

pared for whatever comes next.

CourtesyofJanGarrod


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LandscapesLandscapes is published quarterlyby Peninsula Open Space Trust

222 High StreetPalo Alto, CA 94301

Telephone: (650) 854-7696Fax: (650) 854-7703Web site: www.openspacetrust.org

POST is a public benefit California corporation andis tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the InternaRevenue Code. Contributions to POST are tax-deductible.

Edited by Nina NowakDesigned by DiVittorio & Associates

Printed by TradeMark Graphics, Inc.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Karie Thomson, Chair

Steve Blank

Susan Ford Dorsey

Jan F. Garrod

Larry Jacobs

Charlene Kabcenell

Martha J. Kanter

Robert C. Kirkwood

Dianne McKenna

Paul Newhagen

Brad OBrien

Sandra Thompson

Mark A. Wan

STAFF

Audrey C. Rust PresidentWalter T. Moore Executive Vice PresidentAnne Trela Vice President, AdvancemKaren P. Douglas Chief Financial Officer

Gordon Clark Conservation Project ManWill Clark Grants OfficerChris Detwiller Conservation Project ManKaruna Di Maria Office Assistant/ReceptioniAnn Duwe Communications AssociaMegan Hansen Communications AssociaElizabeth Hart Development Assistant

Kyndra Homuth Development AssistantMeghan Kirby-McFarland Land AssociateMarc Landgraf Director of Land AcquisitKaty Lebow Development AssistantKim Merin Conservation Project ManDaphne Muehle Director of Major GiftsNina Nowak Director of CommunicatiAlison Poetsch Major Gifts OfficerJane Potter Office ManagerJeff Powers Cloverdale Project ManagPaul Ringgold Director of Land StewardshAdelaide Roberts Director of Planned GivinNoelle Thurlow Conservation Project ManJennifer Tucker Annual Giving ManagerNancy Walowski Director of AdministratioKathleen Ward Associate Major Gifts OffCheryl Warner Development Assistant

2008SheldonBreiner

Leaving A Legacy:How to Make a Planned Gift to POST

Create a legacy of permanently protected lands by including

POST in your estate plans.

Bequests

Help ensure the continued protection of open space by naming

POST as a beneficiary of your will or trust. Your bequest can be

a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or a specific

asset such as real estate or securities. You also may name POST

as a beneficiary of your IRA or life insurance policy.

Gifts of Real EstateReal estate contributions are especially appropriate for people

who have highly appreciated real estate that would trigger

significant capital gains taxes if sold. Through a gift of a remainder

interest in your home, you also can receive a significant income

tax deduction at the time of the gift and continue living in your

home during your lifetime.

Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs)

By establishing a CRT, you can support POSTs future work

while receiving a tax deduction and income for life. If you have

appreciated assets such as real estate or stocks, CRTs are anexcellent option because you can avoid incurring capital gains

taxes. The trust provides you or your designees with income

for life or for a term of years. At the end of the term, the trust

dissolves and the remaining balance goes to POST.

To learn more about making a planned gift to POST,

please contact Director of Planned Giving Adelaide Roberts at

[email protected] or (650) 854-7696.


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LANDSCAPES

FALL 2008

Peninsula Open Space Trust222 High StreetPalo Alto, CA 94301(650) 854-7696www.openspacetrust.org

Address Service Requested

NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

PERMIT NO. 925

Join us for a seaside

Walk&TalkPOSTs Skyline Society Committee

invites you to celebrate fall witha coastal outing at Wavecrest

in Half Moon Bay!

bove: 2008 Neal Kramer; front cover: 2008 Paolo Vescia

Bring your own picnic, and enjoy bird-watching,

hiking or relaxing to the sound of waves.New friends welcome.

October 4, 2008 12 to 3 p.m.Email POST at [email protected] call us at (650) 854-7696 to make reservations.Directions provided when you reserve your space.Dogs welcome.

Landscapes Newsletter, Fall 2008 ~ Peninsula Open Space Trust

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